Mower



Dec. 8, 1936. R. s. KINKEAD' 2,063,168

' MOWER Filed Aug. 14, 955 asheets-sneet 1 Inventor Robert S. Kinkeald B gwww 1] Dec. 3, 1936. R25. KINKEADV 2,063,168-

MOWER Filed Aug. 14, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 Inventor Rober; S. Kinkead Jlttorneqs Dec. 8, 1936. 5 KlNKEAD 2,063,168

MOWER Filed Aug. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor 1 135 29 Robert S. Kinkead Jlltorneqs Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOWER, Itobert s. Kinkead, St. Paul, Minn.

Application August 14, 1935, Serial No. 36,116

. 8 Claims.

My invention relates to power propelled and operated mowers and particularly to the type of mower steered by a person walking behind the mower.

An object of the invention resides in providing a mower'of the type described, particularly adapted to perform its functions without injuring the ground over which it travels.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a mower which will effectively cut tall 'grass and weeds and which is constructed in a manner to cut and lay the grass down without interference with the proper operation of the mower.

A still further objectof the invention resides in providing a mower "which will have a high clearance, whereby the mower may be used in tall grass and which at the same time may utilize relatively small wheels making it practical to employ rubber tires on the wheels.

A feature of the invention lies in having the driving wheels run on short separate axles and driven from a countershaft placed above them, thereby permitting high clearance for cutting with comparatively small wheels.

Another object of the invention resides in constructing the mower with a cutting mechanism having a cutter bar and a sickle movable along the same and in providing a frame for the cutting mechanism including a transverse frame member disposed rearwardly of the cutter bar at an elevation above the same and connected to the cutter bar by means of two longitudinal frame members disposed substantiallyin spaced 1 parallel vertical planes.

A feature of the invention resides in constructing the mower so that the swath thereof will be substantially equal to the distance between the planes of said longitudinal frame members.

Another object of the invention resides in constructing the mower so that all of the mechanism for operating the sickle and propelling the mower lie outwardly of or in the planes of the spaced longitudinal frame members and above the transverse frame member so that full clearance is provided within such space, permitting of the operation of the mower in extremely tall grass. 7 A still further object of the invention resides in arranging one of said longitudinal frame members in an inclined manner and in providing an elongated member following along said inclined frame member for operating thepsic kle.

. An object of theinvention resides in constructing said inclined frame member from a tube and in providing a shaft within the tube journaled therein for operating said sickle.

A feature of the invention resides in providing a counter-shaft disposed substantially at the elevation of the transverse frame member or above 5 the same, said counter-shaft carrying sprockets at the ends thereof and in providing chains driven from said sprockets for operating said wheels.

Another object of the invention resides in mounting a motor on said transverse frame member and in providing a transmission for driving said sprockets, said transmission including as an element said counter-shaft.

A still further object of the invention resides in arranging the wheels inwardly of the'planes of the longitudinally extending frame member.

Other objects of the inventidn reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a planview of a mower illustrating an embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I

Fig. 4 is an elevational sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1 and drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is an elevational sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4. i

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevational detail view taken on line 88 of Fig. 3.

My invention includes a cutting mechanism indicated in its entirety by the reference character A which is supported upon a frame B. Frame B is carried by two supporting wheels l0 and II which in conjunction with the cutting mechanism A support the mower in proper elevation with respect to the ground over which the mower travels. Frame B has mounted on it a motor C which is adapted to drive through a suitable power transmission D, the wheels l0 and H. Motor C also operates the cutting mechanism A through a suitable power transmission indicated in its entlrety by the reference letter E. These various parts will now be described in detail.

The cutting mechanism A includes a cutter bar I2 as best shown in Figs. 1 and 6 which extends transversely of the mower. This cutter bar supports the various parts of the cutting mechanism and is attached to the frame 3. The cutting .mechanism'further includes a sickle l3 which are a number of pointed guards l3 which are secured to said cutter bar by means of rivets l3. These guards are provided with slots 2| through which the blades or sickle sections l4 may pass. The said guards have attached to them cutter plates 22 on which the sickle sections rest and which cooperate with the sickle sections M to out the grass entering the notches i3. The sickle I3 is held inproper contact with the cutter plates 22 by means of a number of clips 23 which are riveted to the cutter bar |2 by means of rivets 23. These clips have fingers 24 which overlie the sickle sections i4 and hold the same in contact with the cutter plates .22. The sickle bar is further guided by means of plates 25 which engage said sickle bar at the rearward edge thereof. Plates 25 are held attached to the cutter bar |2 by means of rivets 25 which hold the clips 23 attached to the said cutter bar.

The cutting mechanism further comprises-two shoes 21 and 23 which are best shown in Figs. 1

and 6. These shoes are formed with runners 23 which rest upon the surface over which the mower travels, said runners having upturned portions 3| at their forward ends. The shoes 21 and 23 have attached to them uprights 32 which are constructed with flanges 33 issuing outwardly .may be constructed from a length of channel iron which is provided with a web 33 and two flanges 31 and 33 issuing outwardly from said web. Frame member 35 is arranged in inverted position with the flanges 31 and 33 projecting downwardly. The transverse frame member 35 has welded to the ends thereof two longitudinally extending frame members 4| and 42 best shown in Fig. 4. These frame members are preferably tubular, being constructed of iron pipe and are open at their ends. For bracing the said frame, gusset plates 43 are employed which are welded to the longitudinal frame members 4| and 42 and to the transverse frame member 35. are best shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The forward ends of the longitudinal frame members 4| and 42 have legs 44 secured thereto which are welded to said frame members and extend downwardly therefrom. These legs are provided with outwardly turned flanges 45 which serve as feet for attaching the framework to the cutting mechanism. The flanges 45 are adapted to rest upon the ends of the cutter bar I2 and are bolted thereto by means of cap screws 43.

At the ends of the cutting mechanism A are These gusset plates provided two dividers 41 and 43 best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. These dividers consist of rods which are bent in the form shown in Fig. 3 and which are welded to the forward ends 43 of the shoes 21 and 23. These dividers extend upwardly and rearwardly and are secured to the longitudinal frame members 4| and 42 by means of bolts The dividers 41 and 43 he in the planes of the frame members 4| and 42 and in conjunction therewith serve to divide the uncut portion of the grass from that being cut.

The wheels l3 and II, as bestahown in Figs- 1 and 4, may be of any desired construction. In the drawings, rubber tired wheels have been shown which have rims 52 supporting rubber tires 53. The wheels further include stub axles 54 attached thereto by-means of which the wheels are journaled. The wheels Ill and II are supported through two depending frame members 55 and 53 which extend downwardly from the transverse frame member 35. These frame members are formed with flanges 51' which are-bent outwardly therefrom and which underlie the web 33 of said transverse frame member. The depending frame members 55 and 53 are bolted to the frame member 35 through bolts 53 which pass through the flanges 41 and the web 33 of said transverse frame member. The depending frame members 55 and 53 are provided at their lower ends with bearings 53 which are secured thereto and in which the stub axles 54 are journaled. These stub axles extend completely through the said bearings and are exposed on the outer surfaces thereof where the said stub axles have attached to them sprockets 51 by means of which the wheels may be rotated. v

For guiding the mower for travel over the ground a handle 3| is employed. This handle consists of a transverse handle bar 32 preferably constructed of pipe which is connected by means of two elbows 33 and 34 to two longitudinally extending pipes 35 and 33. These latter pipes have flanges 31 and 33 welded to the same which are disposed at angle with respect to the pipes 35 and 33. Bolts 33 pass through said flanges and the web 33 of the transverse frame member 35 and serve to hold the handle 3| attached to the frame B of the invention.

For the purpose of propelling the mower and for operating the cutting mechanismv thereof, the motor C is used. Inasmuch as any suitable source of power. may be employed, the motor C has not been illustrated in detail. In the drawings, I have shown an engine constructed with a cylinder 3|, a crank case 32 and a crank shaft 33 journaled in the crank case and operated by the piston traveling in cylinder 3|. The crank case 32 is provided with a base 33 which is formed with outwardly extending ears 35. This base rests upon a plate 34 welded to the web 33 of channel". Bolts 33 pass through the said ears and plate and hold the engine attached to the transverse frame member 35.

The transmission D includesla counter-shaft 31.

to travel freely with respect thereto. The oper- 15 ating cone 16 for the clutch is shifted on shaft 81 by means of a lever 11 which is pivoted at 18 to a support 19 attached to "the plate 64. Upon thehandle bar 82 is rotatably mounted a sleeve 9I which is held from longitudinal movement by means of a pin 92 extending through the handle bar 82. This sleeve has attached to it a lever 93 which projects downwardly therefrom. Lever 93 has pivotally connected to it a link 94 which in turn is adjustably connected by means of a clevice 95 with the lever 11. Lever 11 in turn is provided with pins 96 which engage within a groove 91 in vthe cone 16 and cause movement of said cone along said shaft as the sleeve 9| is rotated. By means of this construction the clutch 15 may be operated by the operator while the mower is being steered and without interfering with the proper guidance of the mower. driven from the crank shaft 63 of the engine or motor C by means of a chain 99. This chain passes over a sprocket IOI mounted onthe said crank shaft and over the sprocket 14 carried by the movement in one direction by means of a collar. 'I01 which is attached to the end of shaft I02.

Gear I04 has secured to it two. pairs of stub shafts I08 and I09, the shafts I08 and I09 being positioned in close proximity to one another and the two pairs being disposed diametrally oppositev one another. On these shaftsare mounted spur pinions III and H2. Secured to the shaft I02 is a spur gear I I3 which meshes with the pinions III. Spur gear H3 is keyed to the shaft I02 by means of a key II4. Adjacent the spur gear H3 is another spur gear I I5 having the same diameter and the same number of teeth as the gear I I3.

This spur gear meshes with the pinions II2. It will be noted that the pinions III and H2 also mesh with one another. The spur gear H5 is provided witha hub I II; which is constructed with a sprocket II1. A chain II8 passes over this sprocket and the sprocket 51 fast on wheel I0 mounted on stub axle 54. Another sprocket II9 similar to sprocket H1 is secured to the other end of the shaft I02. A chain I2I passes over this sprocket andthe sprocket 51 of wheel II. These chains and sprockets serve to drive the respective wheels. The gearing H3, H5, III and H2 form a spur gear differential by means of whichsthe two wheels of the mower may be driven from the gear I05 and by means of which the mower may;

be readily steered and easily manipulated.

For the purpose of operating the sickle i3 a shaft I22 is employed which extends through the tubular frame member 4! of frame B. This shaft is journaled in bearing I23 set into the ends of said frame member. The lower end of shaft I22 has secured to it a crank I24 which is held-in place thereon by means of a nut I25 screwed on the end of the shaft. This crank is formedwith a crank pin I26 which passes through a pitman I21. Pitman I21 as best shown in Fig. 2 is connccted by means of a bolt I28 to a lug I29 attached to the end of the sickle bar I5. As the shaft I22 is oscillated back and forth the sickle I3 is given a reciprocating movement, causing the same to cut the grass as the mower passes over the ground.

Sprocket 14 is with the operating parts of the mower.

so that the shaft 61 may make a complete revolution and while so revolving only rocks the shaft I22 a suillcient amount to procure operation" of the sickle I3.

For the purpose of guarding the chains and the various gearing of the invention, guards I36 may be employed which are attached to the depending frame members 55 and 56 and to such other portions of the frame as lie in proximity thereto. Tighteners I31 may also be employed for maintaining proper tension in the driving chains H8 and I2I.

In the use of the' invention, the clutch 15 is thrown out and the engine started. The mower is sufliciently light and due to the use of rubber tired wheelsmay be easily moved about manually without difliculty. When the mower is at the proper positon the clutch is turned on .by means of the sleeve BI and both the propelling mechanism and mower operating mechanism are started. The operator then merely steers the mower in the customary manner; Due to the fact that the swath of the sickle is coextensive with the dividers 41 and 48, a clean "division is procured between the cut and the uncut grass or weeds. Due to the fact that the frame members 4| and 42 are substantia ly in the plane of the dividers 41 and 48 the cut grass is laid down between the said frame members and no entanglement of the grass with the mechanism of the invention occurs. It will also be noted that the driving mechanism for the wheels is in the plane of the frame members MI and I42 and that the transmission and other operating parts of the invention with exception of the wheels, lie without the space between the frame members 41 and 42 and above the frame member 35. It will hence become obvious that grass may be cut of a height equal to theclearance afforded by the frame member 35 and even higher without dlfliculty and that aclear passageway is provided in the framework through which the cut grass passes. I

My invention is highly advantageous in that a device is procured to cut grass of considerable height. The. grass is laid down between the frame membersand will not become entangled The mower steers and handles. easily. .By the use of tubular longitudlnalframe members the operating mechanism for the sickle can *be mostly enclosed so that entanglement of the grass with the mechanism is entirely prevented. .By means of said construction the grass is accurately divided and very little of the standing grass is trodden down so that the swath is clean and accurate. This permits of cutting the second swath without dimculty. By arranging the supports for the wheels in-the manner illustrated, the

is extremely simple and practical in. construction and can be built at an economical cost.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the-spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what li claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: 1. In a mower, a cutting mechanism including a cutter bar, a sickle movable along said outter bar, a frame for supporting said cutter bar, said frame including a transverse frame member disposed rearwardly of the cutter bar and at an elevation above the same, frame members extending from said transverse frame member to said cutter bar, and disposed substantially in two spaced parallel vertical planes said frames also including depending frame members disposed substantially in said .planes, wheels carried by said depending frame members and disposed inwardlythereof and entirely below said transverse frame member, said cutting mechanism having a swath substantially equal to the distance between said planes, a motor carried by said transverse frame member, a co'untershaft extending transversely of the frame and disposed to have a clearance not less than that of said transverse frame member, sprockets at the ends of said shaft, sprockets concentric'with said 'wheels and driving the same, said sprockets being disposed outwardly of said wheels, chains for driving said second named sprockets from said to said transverse frame member and said outter bar, one of said members being tubular, wheels carriedby said frame, an elongated member extending through said tubular frame member, a motor carried by said transverse frame member, a crank arm connected with the. upper end of said elongated member, drive means between said motor and crank arm, a crank arm connected to the lower end of said elongated member and linkage between said second named crank arm and-said sickle.

3. In a mower, a cutting mechanism including a cutter bar, a sickle movable along said cutb r disposed rearwardly of the cutter bar and at an elevation above the same, frame -members connected to said transverse framemember and said cutter bar, one of said members being tubular, wheels carried by said frame, a shaft extending through said tubular frame, and journaled thereima motor carried by said transverse W frame member, a crank on the lower end of said said wheels.

cutter bar, a frame including two longitudinal frame members connected to the cutter bar at localities outwardly of the swath of the sickle, wheels disposed inwardly of the frame members and stub shafts carried by the frame members and extending inwardly therefrom for supporting said wheels.

5. In a mower, a cutting mechanism including a cutter bar and a sickle movable along said frame members connected to the cutter bar and extending upwardly therefrom and a cross frame member connected to the longitudinal frame members at their upper ends, wheels disposed inwardly of the frame members and entirely below said cross frame' member, a motor carried by said cross member and disposed above the .same, and transmission means for driving said wheels and sickle, said means being disposed substantially above the cross frame member and outwardly beyond said wheels. a

6. A frame for supporting the cutter bar of a mower, said frame including a transverse frame member disposed rearwardly of the cutter bar and at an elevation above the same, frame members extending from said transverse frame member to said cutter bar, depending framemembers extending downwardly below said transverse frame member rigidly supported with reference thereto, supporting wheels disposed in proximity to said depending frame members, and stub axles carried by said depending frame members and extending inwardly therefrom for rotatably supporting said wheels.

7. A frame for supporting the cutter bar of a mower, said frame'including a transverse frame member disposed rearwardly of the cutter bar and at an elevation above the same, frame members extending from said transverse frame member to said cutter bar, depending frame members extending downwardly below said transverse frame member rigidly supported with reference thereto, said depending frame'members and said second named frame members being disposed substantially in spaced parallel vertical planes, the distance between said planes being substantially equal to the swath of the cutting mechanism of the mower, supporting wheels disposed in proximity to saiddepending frame members, stub axles carried by said depending frame members and extending inwardly therefrom for rotatably supporting said wheels.

8. A frame for supporting the cutter bar of a mower, said frame including a transverse frame member disposed rearwardly of the cutter bar and at an elevation above the same, frame members extending from said transverse frame member tosaid cutter bar, depending frame members extending downwardly below said transverse frame member rigidly supported with reference thereto, said depending frame members and said second named frame members being disposed substantially in spaced parallel vertical planes, supporting wheels disposed in proximity to said depending frame members, stub axles carried by said depending frame members and extending inwardly therefrom for rotatably supporting ROBERT s. :KINKEAD. 

